The New York Knicks have been told who they should be targeting this off-season as they look to take the next step from playoff hopefuls to legitimate contenders.
Throughout the last decade, the Knicks have been something of a laughing stock in the NBA - having little to be hopeful on or off-the-court amid a succession of poorly executed decisions
But this season saw them take a huge step forward, lead by new star Jalen Brunson. The guard joined the team this past off-season after leaving Dallas Mavericks, stepping out of Luka Doncic 's shadow and giving him the chance to see much more of the ball.
As well as Brunson, RJ Barrett and Julius Randle impressed throughout the year, with the Knicks having a number of other solid depth players on a balanced roster.
However, there are suggestions that they are on the lookout for one more superstar acquisition to take them to the next level - and have the salary cap space to fill that void this off-season.
ESPN analyst and passionate Knicks fan Stephen A Smith has told the team who he wants them to go for, in one of the best scorers in the league, taking to Twitter in the aftermath of their semi-final defeat to the Miami Heat. "I want Damian Lillard. Don’t care what you gotta do, I want Damian Lillard."
Lillard, 32, has one more year on his contract, but with the Portland Trailblazers struggling to build a winning team around him, they could look to move on from him to get a huge haul of draft picks to rebuild their roster.
Lillard, alongside fellow star Brunson could be a strong duo to build their team around, after the latter developed into a dominant scorer this season. In his first season with the Knicks, Brunson averaged 24 points, six points and four assists, leading the team to the semi-finals, but he will likely need another star player with him if the team are to make the leap.
And while Brunson was disappointed to be knocked out of the post-season, he's already looking forward to seeing what the team are capable of next season.
He said after the game: "I'm really happy to be part of this organization. New York has been amazing and the fans have been amazing... I'm already excited about next year, we have a lot to prove to each other as teammates".
